WMRT Stena Match Cup - Fighting to avoid elimination

After day 3 of the Stena Match Cup Sweden, the third stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, several skippers need to secure wins in their remaining few matches to avoid elimination at qualification stage.

Bjorn Hansen and Peter Gilmour are however looking certain to progress to the Quarter Final.

Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) Team Trifork reached a total of five wins after the day’s session and, having lost just four matches, has a good chance of moving to the Quarter Final with a strong performance tomorrow. A loss against Reuben Corbett (NZ) AON Racing Team in a thrilling match-up was the start to a day of mixed fortunes for the Danish 18 year-old who said, 'It was a close one against Reuben [Corbett]. We got a penalty against us at the second top mark after leading up until that point. We took the port layline and he took the starboard. We thought we could cross him but he got on the inside and just got a piece of us. We got a red flag penalty so we had to let him pass and it just didn’t leave us with any way of getting back to him.'

Aschenbrenner, who looks set to become one of the future stars of the sport regardless of his progression in Sweden, said: 'We had a good event at Match Race Germany and have been looking forward to this one. The DS 37 are boats that we train on and I’ve raced them since I started match racing.

'It’s a hard fleet out here but we are aiming for the Quarter Final obviously. It’s still a bit unsure whether we will progress but the crew are doing a great job and we’ll be ready for tomorrow, for sure.'

Of the other teams on the brink of making the cut, Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team had a successful day, picking up another two wins to leave him with a total of three and still in with a chance of moving through to the next stage of the event. Tour Card Holder Simone Ferrarese (ITA) Ferrarese Racing Team and local wildcard Viktor Ogeman (SWE) Team Accure weren’t able to get a win on the board in the third Qualifying Session and now look destined to be heading home.

At the top of the qualifying table, Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team had recorded three wins by flight 16, taking him to eight overall and guaranteeing his participation in the next round. His only loss came at the hands of Peter Gilmour (AUS) Yanmar Racing in a close encounter which saw the Australian pick up a penalty in pre-start for not keeping clear of his opponent.

Hansen had taken an early lead approaching the top mark for the first time but some good boat handling from Gilmour’s Yanmar Racing team allowed them to slip past on the first downwind leg. They lead all the way to the finish, building a gap of three boat lengths and allowing enough room for the penalty turn to take the slimmest of victories as Hansen bore down with greater speed.

Keith Swinton also remains in a commanding position going into the few remaining flights, having added to the troubles of Ogeman, who he mentors as part of his association with Magnus Holmberg’s Elite Challenge GKSS Youth Squad. His current 7-2 scoreline bodes well for a Quarter Final berth.